The Tahsildar must decide land-survey applications on their merits after notice to interested parties.

The petitioner claimed rights in lands at Megamalai Village under a 1993 partition deed. He alleged that a power of attorney had been obtained from him and his brother by coercion and used to transfer the properties to private respondents. The petitioner’s civil suit challenging the sale deeds and seeking an injunction was decreed, and an appeal by some of the private respondents was dismissed

The petitioner then paid the prescribed charges and applied to the Tahsildar for survey and measurement of the lands. As the applications remained unconsidered, he sought a writ directing their consideration and requesting police protection

Whether the Tahsildar should be directed to consider and decide the petitioner’s applications for survey and measurement of the specified lands

Whether the petitioner was entitled to a direction for police protection in connection with the requested survey

The petition was brought under Article 226 of the Constitution of India

The Court’s stated approach was to direct the competent authority to consider the pending applications on their own merits and in accordance with law, after notice to the petitioner, the private respondents, neighbouring landowners and any other interested parties

The Government Pleader submitted that the petitioner’s applications would be considered and appropriate orders passed in accordance with law

In light of that submission, the Court ordered consideration of the applications within a fixed period and required notice to affected and interested parties, without deciding ownership, possession or the merits of the survey request. Although police protection had been sought, the Court’s operative direction addressed only consideration of the survey applications

The Court expressed no opinion on the merits and made no order as to costs